PABC to give continent's business coalitions a helping hand Print E-mail
SABCOHA speaks to Nairobi-based Patricia Mugambi Ndegwa, Africa Director of the Global Business Coalition, on the challenges facing the Pan African Network of Business Coalitions (PABC).

 

What are some of the major challenges facing businesses on the continent with regard to HIV/AIDS?

  • Businesses have competing imperatives – in addition to HIV/AIDS, companies have to face other issues such as environmental challenges, clean water and other health issues that compete with the resources that can be put into HIV/AIDS
  • Many companies interviewed still face obstacles in ‘getting it right’ for their employees first, emphasizing staff buy-in and involvement in community initiatives
  • There are challenges in developing strategies to work closely with suppliers and business associates to expand the network of business engagement
  • Challenges in developing effective partnerships with NGOs, governments etc. are ongoing
  • Extending confidential testing and treatment programs throughout the workplace. In high prevalence areas, treatment arrangements need to be extended to dependents and into post employment, for example.


How can the PABC help businesses to deal with these challenges?

  • By increasing regional awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa and increasing the role of business in advocacy
  • By initiating innovative collaborations – especially public private partnerships and private sector collaborations
  • By advising companies in the design and development of workplace and community programs
  • By highlighting and sharing best practices
  • By strengthening national business coalitions that are members of the PABC to support business action in their respective countries
  • By strengthening private sector involvement in CCMs, NACCs, and other government and funding mechanisms.

What are some of the obstacles facing the PABC in particular?

  • Resource mobilization
  • Capacity constraints
  • Overcoming scale-up and sustainability challenges
  • Active participation and a sense of ownership from member business coalitions

Apparently there is a desire to include more Franco-phone and Arab-speaking countries. Are any of these countries showing a willingness to join PABC. If so, who are they?

Yes. The issue might not be a willingness or not to join PABC. The question is whether PABC is able to address the specific needs and challenges of these countries or for countries that may be starting out in their response, versus others that are quite advanced in their interventions. I think it is achievable if PABC is given the necessary resources and capacity to meet all these needs.


What will the next PABC conference hope to achieve?

  • Stressing the need for greater collaboration and awareness in Africa on business’s crucial role in fighting HIV/AIDS
  • Promoting effective information and planning, coordination and collaboration for the PABC– charting the way forward, building on the successes achieved to date
  • Highlighting and sharing best practices, new trends and innovative interventions emerging from the various countries and local business coalitions
  • Facilitating greater partnership and collaboration with donors and other development/international partners

How developed are the business coalitions in member countries generally? Is this a reflection on the extent to which business is involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in these countries?

The business coalitions vary in terms of their development. Some are just starting out while others are pretty advanced and established. Also, the WEF mapping exercise shows the various models that national business coalitions have taken. This is due to a number of reasons including: political will; resources and financial sustainability; how strong and organised the business community is in-country; etc. Also, having a champion or leading company or companies to mobilise others is key to how developed business coalitions and overall private sectors perform in member countries generally.

What has the PABC achieved to date?

It has begun to mobilise a new Pan-African focus to the work of national business coalitions. It has initiated the process of identifying avenues for sharing collaborative methods for the African private sector, through business coalitions, to mount an effective response and recognise impediments to success. It has championed for the increased support of the international community to the business response to HIV/AIDS in Africa.

What needs to be done to ensure the PABC becomes a strong, effective and significant player in the fight against HIV/AIDs on the continent?

  • Active participation and sense of ownership from all the national business coalitions
  • Strong and concrete support from donors and partner organisations
  • Clear mission, visions and goals for the organisation
  • Implementation of the PABC business plan

Lastly, what in a nutshell can the PABC achieve?

The PABC is a very important vehicle in strengthening national business coalitions and expanding the African corporate response to HIV/AIDS by complementing the work that is currently being done, and addressing the significant gaps that inhibit progress.